1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage containers and the like, and particularly to an individual locker assembly for refrigerators. The lockers are installable within a standard or custom refrigerator and are individually securable to protect the contents therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Refrigerators are commonly found in cafeteria and kitchenette areas in the workplace to allow employees to place perishable items therein for their lunches and snacks. While most employees are honest about such matters, there often seems to be one or more people who abuse the privilege of refrigerated storage for their goods, and who will take others' food and beverages stored in the refrigerator. In some instances, this has led to arguments and accusations as to whose goods were taken by whom. This is clearly disruptive in the workplace and has on occasion resulted in the employer installing surveillance equipment, sometimes resulting in official punishment or even the threat of job termination of employees by employers who become aware of such problems.
Another area in which refrigerators are commonly used in the workplace is in the medical field. Refrigerators are generally provided in medical offices, hospitals, and the like, and even veterinary offices for the proper storage of medicines and the like that require cold storage. Many of these medications require prescriptions to be legally dispensed, and while the vast majority of the staff having access to such supplies may very well be trustworthy, there is always some chance that such medicines and drugs may fall into the wrong hands if they are not properly secured. In some instances such refrigeration units for medical supplies are provided with a lock for the door. While this provides the desired security for those drugs and medications that require such, at least some of the supplies contained within the refrigerator may not need such security. This requires the person who needs such non-secure supplies to look up someone who has a key to unlock the refrigerator, each time such access is required.
Various secured refrigeration and freezer units have been developed in the past, ranging from commercial frozen food lockers to other smaller units. An example of such is found in French Patent No. 2,689,221, published on Oct. 1, 1993. This publication describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) an integrated refrigerated storage system having a plurality of separately lockable compartments and a single rearwardly disposed refrigeration unit.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, an individual locker assembly for refrigerators solving the aforementioned problems is desired.